The UAE celebrated the start of Eid Al Adha in spectacular style on Wednesday as dazzling firework displays lit up the nation's skies.
Crowds gathered across the Emirates to witness the festivities as the holiday season got in full swing.
A series of colourful firework displays are being held across the UAE to mark this year's Eid Al Adha, which is the first to be held without Covid-19 restrictions since 2019.
Yas Bay, one of Abu Dhabi's leading leisure attractions, is among the prime locations to catch the entertainment.
The first of its three nightly firework shows was held on Wednesday.
Public and private-sector workers are enjoying an extended Eid Al Adha break this year.
The public holiday began on Tuesday, with work not resuming until Monday.
The long holiday has proven a boost to the travel sector, with more than 750,000 passengers passing through Dubai International Airport since Friday.
UAE hotels are also reaping the rewards with many opting for a staycation.
From Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, many hotels are full or close to capacity as people aim to make the most of the six-day holiday.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
